Gilbert F. Van Keuren

Buried at Netherlands American Cemetery. Received Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart awards. Name included on the All Veterans Memorial State Capitol Grounds Bismarck North Dakota under the county of Stutsman. Memorialized at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial. Service # 37089987 Rank Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Unit 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion Entered Service From North Dakota Date of Death April 10, 1945 Buried Plot D Row 18 Grave 23 Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands From Register of North Dakota Veterans WWII and Korea page 1528: VAN KEUREN, GILBERT F. SN 37 089 987; born Buffalo, NDak 12 Sep 17; resident Stutsman County, NDak; entered AUS Ft Snelling, Minn 17 Jul 41; served European African Middle Eastern Theater; KIA 10 Apr 45 Germany; SSG; buried in Plot D, Row 18, Grave 23, Netherlands, Holland. From Fields of Honor Database: VAN KEUREN, Gilbert F Servicenumber: 37089987 Age: 27 Born: 12 September 1917, North Dakota Hometown: Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota Family: Frank Van Keuren (father) Florence A. (Thompson) Van Keuren (mother) Margaret Van Keuren (sister) Kathryn Van Keuren (sister) Nelda Van Keuren (sister) Phyllis Van Keuren (sister) Rank: Staff Sergeant Function: Platoon Leader Regiment: - Battalion: 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion Division €“ Transport: - Company €“ Squadron: C Company Unit €“ Group: - Plane data: (Serialnumber, MACR, etc.) - Date of death: 10 April 1945 Status: KIA Place of death: Near Bochum, Germany Spot: Not available Awards: Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Gravenumber: Plot D, Row 18, Grave 23 Cemetery: American War Cemetery Margraten Biography: - Other information: Gilbert F. Van Keuren entered the service from North Dakota. He was among the first Americans to land in North Africa. He fought through the North African, Sicilian and southern Italy campaigns and then took part in the invasion of France. He was Killed in Action when a mortar barrage fell near one of the platoons positions. Source of information: Jac Engels, Peter Schouteten, Astrid van Erp, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.tankdestroyer.net, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees, www.newspapers.com - Eau Claire Leader Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Fred Munckhof